An example of a known cable connector having a pull-tab is shown in FIG. 6 (see JP63-56563U). The cable connector 101 shown in FIG. 6 comprises a substantially rectangular insulating housing 110 that supports a cable 113. Furthermore, a pull-tab attachment hole 111 that extends in the direction of width of the housing 110 is formed at the end portion of the housing 110, and a pull-tab 112 is attached via the pull-tab attachment hole 111. This cable connector 101 is designed so that following mating with a mating connector (not shown in the figure), it may be released by pulling the pull-tab 112.
However, this cable connector 101 does not have a mechanism for actively locking with the mating connector, and the pull-tab 112 is not designed to perform the function of releasing the locking mechanism with the mating connector.
Meanwhile, the connector shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B (see JP2003-297482A), for instance, has a pull-tab connected to a locking mechanism with a mating connector, with this pull-tab performing the function of releasing the locking mechanism. FIG. 7A is a plan view showing the schematic construction of the connector, and FIG. 7B is a plan view showing the construction of the connector.
This connector 201 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B comprises a substantially rectangular insulating housing 210 and a plurality of contacts 211 that are attached to the housing 210 along the width of this housing 210. Furthermore, a pair of locking arms 212 that are attached so that these locking arms 212 can pivot about respective pivoting central shafts 214 are provided at either end of the housing 210. Engaging claws 213 that are locked with engagement parts provided on the left and right side surfaces of a mating connector (not shown in the figures) are provided so that these engaging claws 213 protrude inward from the front ends (upper ends in FIG. 7A) of the respective locking arms 212. Meanwhile, both ends of a pull-tab 215 are respectively joined to the rear ends of the pair of locking arms 212. The pull-tab 215 is integrally formed with the pair of locking arms 212.
Furthermore, when the connector 201 is mated with the mating connector, the engaging claws 213 of the respective locking arms 212 are locked with the engagement parts of the mating connector. This locking action is performed by the locking arms 212 first pivoting about the pivoting central shafts 214 in the directions indicated by arrows (3), i.e., in an outward direction, and then pivoting in the opposite directions (i.e., in an inward direction), and the locked state is maintained by the elasticity of the pull-tab 215. Accordingly, there is no accidental release of the locked state of the connector 201 with the mating connector.
Then, the connector 201 can be disengaged from the mating connector by pulling the central portion of the pull-tab 215 with the fingers in the direction of arrow (1), i.e., in the rearward direction. The force generated when the pull-tab is pulled in the direction of arrow (1) is divided between the directions indicated by arrows (2), i.e., in an inward direction, and the direction indicated by arrow (4), i.e., in the rearward direction. A moment acts on the respective locking arms 212 in the directions indicated by arrows (3) by means of the force in the directions indicated by arrows (2). As a result, these locking arms 212 respectively pivot in the directions indicated by arrows (3) about the respective pivoting central shafts 214, so that the locked state with the mating connector is released. Then, the connector 201 can be completely disengaged from the mating connector by the force in the direction of arrow (4).
However, the following problems have been encountered in the connector 201 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Specifically, since the pair of locking arms 212 are required at either end of the housing 210 in the direction of width, the mounting space is correspondingly increased, so that there is a problem in that the mounting density of the connector is reduced.
Furthermore, there are cases in which the locking arms 212 are damaged or deformed as a result of the force in the direction of arrow (4) being applied during release of engaging claws 213 of the locking arms 212 from the engagement parts of the mating connector. Moreover, the operation of the pull-tab 215 is also less than optimal because of the application of the force in the direction of arrow (4) to the locking arms 212.